Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-12
TE1E SIGNAL SERVICE.
Why the Enlisted Men Want it Made a
Civil Bureau.

number OF enlisted men of the signal CORDS
nave prepared statement giving reasons why in
their Judgment, the weather bureau Should he
transferred from military management to civil ad-
mln1Strat1on. They set out that the duties in
winch the signal service is now engaged are civil
ana not military. AS question OF proper civil
administration 1t seems perfectly clear that it is
not good government to put branch Of the serv-
ice that has no necessary relation to military af
fairs under the regime OF a military establishment,
The postal, internal revenue, lighthouse and the
lfe-Savtng services, where life and property are
OFTEN imperled, and where tue requirements OF a
sons instructed with such duties and responsibili-
ties are as important as any oY the duties OF the
weather bureau, are left to civil control with al
most perfect security OF having an effective ser.
vice.
The enlisted men of the corps, the statement
says, believe that under a civil administration
they Would eventually be graded as in other Of
fces, and that the pay allowed would then be ap-
portloned more III accordance with the nature and
value or the work perrCrmed. AT present there are
only the grades or sergeant, corporal and private:
SO that private performing laborers or messen.
gers duties receives the same pay as private per-
forming valuable Clerical labor. The only pro-
motion open to the men is that to corporal, with
an increase OF a per month, and then to sergeant
when S14 more is added They believe that there
would be chances for men inclined to scientific re-
search to advance themselves in the service and
to make the weather bureau a life study, Instead
Of as at present. only using it as means for some
thing better.
1--WE feel" the statement goes on, "that, as en-.
listed men, we are debaried from the free express
sion OF opinion OF which all good and true Ameri.
can citizens profess TO be proud; that the fact OF
our enlistment is often regarded as badge OF in
ferior1ty, and is in many instances a social dis
qualification. Military discipline is an excellent
thing in its way, and no body OF military men can
dispense with ii. but 1t seems to us that the needs
OF this service do not require it, and the condi-
uOnS Of the service, the men being scattered over
so large territory, make it 1mpracticable to ap-
ply it.
AS far fewer officers would be required and
probably a less purely clerical force would meet
all demands OF the bureau, it is evident that the
service could be conducted upon more economic
scale than at present, and In these times OF re-
trenchment this fact Is certainly an argument in
favor giving us what we ask, namely, a civil and
permanent organization, and Tor this we pray.
Senator Morgan, OF Alabama, has introduced an
amendment, h.R. bill $50. which transfers the
signal service to the Agricultural department as
civil bureau. This amendment has been endorsed
by 1876 OF the 14O clerks On duty in the Washing
ton Office and they have testified In a petition
which Senator Hale has introduced in the Senate.
This petition is also endorsed by the men on sta
ton, and kilograms are being received daily re-
questing that their names be added to those on
the OetitfOn.n